Patient education: Pneumonia in children – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is pneumonia? — Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It causes coughing, fever, and trouble breathing (figure 1). It is a serious illness, especially in young children or children with health problems. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and other germs.

How do I care for my child at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse how to care for your child when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for them. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

●Do not smoke or let others smoke in the home or car. Keep your child away from smoke-filled places. Avoid things that might cause breathing problems like fumes, pollution, and dust.

●Make sure that your child is getting plenty of fluids – For babies and very young children, it might help to offer small amounts of fluids frequently (instead of large amounts less often).

●Follow all instructions for giving your child antibiotics or other medicines, if the doctor prescribed them.

●Medicines such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin) can help relieve pain and fever. Check the package directions carefully to make sure that you give your child the right dose. Never give aspirin to a child younger than 18 years old.

●Do not give your child medicines that quiet a cough. These medicines don't usually work well, and they can have serious side effects in children. Coughing also helps clear the child's airways. If the child has a sore throat from coughing, you can give:

•Warm fluids, such as tea or chicken soup

•Honey (for children older than 1 year)

•Throat lozenges or hard candy to suck on (do not give to children younger than 6 years, or to children who have a risk of choking)

●Do not give aspirin or medicines that contain aspirin to children younger than 18 years. In children, aspirin can cause a serious problem called Reye syndrome.

●For babies or young children, you can use a bulb syringe to clear their nostrils.

●Wash your hands and your child's hands often (figure 2). This is especially important after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers also work to kill germs.

●Teach your child to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow instead of their hands. Have them throw away tissues in the trash and wash their hands after coughing, sneezing, or touching used tissues.

●Make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. This might mean letting them nap more often or for longer than usual.

What follow-up care does my child need? — The doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go.

Usually, the doctor or nurse will call home to check on the child after 1 to 2 days. If they are not getting better or are getting worse, the doctor or nurse might want to see the child again.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if your child:

●Gets worse at any time, or is not getting better after 2 to 3 days

●Is having trouble breathing or having pain when breathing in – For example, younger children or babies might have "retractions" (figure 3). Older children might tell you that it is hard to breathe, or they might have trouble speaking.

●Is not getting enough fluids. For babies, this includes not being able to feed.

●Seems much more tired than usual, or is hard to wake up

●Is coughing up blood

●Has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills that does not get better after taking medicines for fever

●Is still coughing after 3 to 4 weeks

More on this topic

Patient education: Pneumonia in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Fever in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Fever in children (Beyond the Basics)